Cancer mortality and morbidity among rubber workers

Abstract

Mortality and morbidity from cancer among a cohort of 13,570 white male rubber workers were examined. Each man worked for at least 5 years at the Akron, Ohio, plant of the B. F. Goodrich Company. The potential period of follow-up was from January 1, 1940 to June 30, 1976. Departmental work histories were based primarily on records maintained by Local no. 5, United Rubber Workers. The occurrence of cancer was measured by death certificates and by a survey of Akron-area hospital tumor registries from 1964 to 1974. Two types of analyses were made: 1) an external comparison of mortality rates of rubber workers versus rates of U.S. white males, and 2) an internal comparison of cancer morbidity rates among persons who were employed in various work areas of the plant. Excess cases of specific cancers (observed/expected numbers) among workers in specific work areas included: stomach and intestine: rubber making (30/14.4); lung: tire curing (31/14.1), fuel cells and/or deicers (46/29.1); bladder: chemical plant (6/2.4), and tire building (16/10.7); skin cancer: tire assembly (12/1.9); brain cancer: tire assembly (8/2.0); lymphatic cancer: tire building (8/3.2); and leukemia: calendering (8/2.2), tire curing (8/2.6), tire building (12/7.5), elevators (4/1.4), tubes (4/1.6), and rubber fabrics (4/1.1). Agents that may be responsible for these excesses were considered.